Daily Devotional: Friday, April 10, 2020
SCRIPTURE READING
Isaiah 53:12a (KJV)
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
Here in the final verse of Isaiah 53 is military language, so boys, listen up!
Have you ever heard the expression “spoils of war?” You know what war is, right? It’s when men fight, so what are “spoils of war?”
Spoils are what’s left over when one man loses and runs away. When one man dies or retreats and leaves behind his horse and his sword, his food and his money, the man who won the battle comes into the campsite of the loser and gets to take home his enemy’s treasure left behind. To the victor belong the spoils.
By His battle on the cross, Jesus triumphed over death, Hell, and the Devil. These are Jesus’ enemies and through the cross Jesus triumphed over them. So now Jesus gets the spoils of war. But does Jesus keep the spoils for Himself?
No, Jesus gives them to us—to everyone who believes on Him.
Death is our enemy, our last enemy. Hell is our enemy, the most terrible suffering described by Jesus as the fire that never goes out. And the Devil is our enemy. He is the roaring lion walking around looking for men to devour.
But when Jesus died on the cross, He beat death, Hell, and the Devil, so everyone who believes in Him never has to fear them again.
Jesus fought His terrible war on Good Friday and won the spoils of salvation for every Christian. Don’t be afraid. Jesus won the greatest victory the world has ever seen today on Good Friday. That’s why we call it “good.”
Jesus won and we get the spoils of His victory. “He gave gifts to men” (Ephesians 4:8).
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
QUESTIONS
- What enemies did Jesus win His victory over?
- Who does Jesus give the spoils of His victory to?
- What are those spoils He gives to every Christian?
SONG OF THE WEEK
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
’Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis He, ’tis He!
’Tis the long expected Prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
By His Son God now has spoken:
‘Tis the true and faithful Word.
Tell me, ye who hear Him groaning,
Was there ever grief like His?
Friends through fear His cause disowning,
Foes insulting His distress;
Many hands were raised to wound Him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced Him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.
Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great,
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See Who bears the awful load;
‘Tis the Word, the Lord’s Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.
Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ’s the Rock of our salvation,
His the Name of which we boast.
Lamb of God for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on Him their hope have built.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
I praise You, O God, Everlasting Savior, for You have triumphed over death, hell, and the grave for me. I was once a slave to these terrible masters. Now, by Your victory, I belong to You, for You bought me with a price and rescued me from bondage through the merits of Your death. Help me to live now in such a way as to realize more and more the victory You have achieved for me and to offer the members of my body as instruments of righteousness to the praise of Your glory and grace. Amen.
OTHER PRAYER NEEDS
- That love would reign in our homes
- That we would rejoice in all things
- That we would have great hope and joy in God this Easter
SCRIPTURE MEMORY THIS WEEK
Isaiah 53:11-12 (KJV)
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
